Football Season Guide

Ekenas won the Second Tier in 2023 and only for the second time in their history they get promoted to the top flight. The modest team will be determined this time to stay for more than one season in the division. Ekenas had both the best attack and the best defence last season in the lower division. This was first year in charge for their Spanish manager Gabriel Garcia Xatar. His modern tactics and desire to see his team use effective pressing all over the pitch made Ekenas impossible to stop last season. The only important players that left in the winter were defenders Manga and Esua. Ekenas replaced them very well though. Kabashi, Katz and Malunduma came from Veikkausliiga teams and all 3 of them are likely regulars this season. The manager also found himself a much better goalkeeper in the Greek veteran Giannakopoulos, so everything suggests Ekenas will continue to be hard to score against. Kante and Kofi Adu were crucial for the promotion last season and the Africans are expected to be vital in midfield again this year. It is certain that the Russian playmaker Efimov and the vastly experienced Kaufmann will play key roles too. Adding new centre forward in Fofana to help Ojala is also seen as a great move. Ekenas seem ready for the challenges ahead and probably have more experience in their ranks that many other Veikkausliiga sides.